Metrology for New Industrial Measurement Technologies

Short Name: NIMTech, Project Number: T3.J2.2

Large objects up to (3 x 3 x 3) m³ can be measured with classical coordinate measuring machines, larger objects can be measured using mobile measuring equipment, like laser trackers, laser radar or indoor GPS. When starting the project, the traceability of such measurements was still an open issue as a qualified statement of the task specific measurement uncertainty.


No standardized artefacts and procedures for calibration or verification were available. A kind of verification is mainly performed by producers of measuring systems by means of very different "home made" standards and non-validated procedures. No accredited and national laboratories were involved in the traceability chain.

Proving the conformance with specifications according to ISO 14253-1 was consequently not possible. This led to increasing costs as it was not possible to distinguish reliably between go and no-go parts, especially where tolerances are small compared to the measurement uncertainty.

The objectives of this project were for example the development of new 3D metrology systems, the development of software for automatic evaluation of measurement uncertainties, the design and manufacturing of complex 3D standards or the development of numerical standards and procedures for internet based software validation.

Project website